Golf club swing guide

ABSTRACT

A golf club swing guide includes track members for guiding the golf club through a grooved swing. The track members includes first and second arcuate track members mounted on a support adjustable in inclination to conform to the swing planes of the golf swing and a given length of golf club. One of the arcuate track members defines the backswing of the golf club and the second track member defines the power swing of the golf club. The arcuate track members join one another adjacent their upper and lower ends respectively and spring-biased switches are provided to insure the direction of the golf club and more particularly the guide thereon engaging the track members into the proper backswing and power swing tracks.

United States Patent [191 Seltzer [541 GOLF CLUB swmc GUIDE Ralph D.Seltzer, P. O. Box 448,

[76] Inventor:

' Bessemer, Pa. 16112 221 Filed: Dec. 23, 1971 21 Appl.-No.: 211,358

52 US. Cl. ..273 191 A 51 Int. c|. ..A63b 69/36 58 Field of Search..'..273/191, 192, 186; 35/29 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS I 3,341,208 ,9/1967 Marcella ..273/191 A 3,489,4l6 1/1970 I Mark..273/l9l A Primary ExaminerGeorge J. Marlo Attorney-Wet aster B.l-larpman 57 1 ABSTRACT A golf club swing guide includes track membersfor guiding the golf club-through a grooved swing. The

- track members includes first and second arcuate track members mountedon a-support adjustable in inclination to conform to the swing planes ofthe golf swing and a given length of golf club. One of the arcuate trackmembers defines the backswing of the golf club and the second trackmember defines the power swing of the golf club. The arcuate trackmembers join one another adjacent their upper and lower endsrespectively and spring-biased switches are provided to insure thedirection of the golf club and more particularly the guide thereonengaging the track members into the proper backswing and power swingtracks.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Jan. 16', 1973 I PATENTEDJAH 161975 3.71 l.103

sum 1 OF 3 INVENTO RALPH 0. SELTZ ATTOR EY YWWJ M PATENTEDJAHIS I9753.711.103

sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR.

F] 7 RALPH 0. SELTZER ATTOR EY PATENTEUJM 16 1973 3.71 1. 103

SHEET 3 UF 3 WV EN TOR. RALPH D. SELTZER ATTORNEY s-s ofFIG. 1.

seen-atline 6-6 ofFlG. 1 L

and taken on line 8- 8thereof."

v 1 GOLF CLUB swrNo Gums the power swing. (See U.S. Pat. Nos-1,634,102,;

2,813,721, 2,868,543, 3,341.208 and 3,489,416.) This inventionintroduces the novel feature of providing guiding tracks and means inconnection'therewith for directing the golf club or simulated golfclubinto the proper trackways defining a proper backswing and a v properforward or powerswing... I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A portable inclined frame. carries a trackwaysubfstantially circular in overall appearance and having portionsthereof separated into two trackways, one of whichdefines theproperpath, for a proper backswing of a golf club and the other of whichdefines a proper path for .the forward or; power swing of the golf club.The two sections are separated from the other section of the generallycirculartrackway by switch means arranged to direct the golf club intothe proper trackway depending upon the direction of motion of the golfclub along'the-trackway. v

Y Description ofthe Drawings FIG. 1 is"a'prospective elevation of thegolf club swingguide. v v F IG. 2 is an enlarged detail on line 2-2'ofFIG.- 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4' is an enlarged detail on line 4-4 of F IG'. 1. FIG. 5 is anenlarged detail of a switch as seen on line FIG. 6 is an enlargeddetailof a secondary switch as FIG. 7 isan enlarged detail of a modifiedtrackway and guide corresponding generally with FIG. 20f the drawings..,1 i

.FIG 8 is a detailofthe modified trackway of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a-detail of a modified switch comparable with FIG. 5 of thedrawings.

comparable-with FIG. s of the drawings.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED f EMBODIMENT.

: FIG. 10 is; detail of a modified secondary switch In itssimplest formthe golf clubswing uiqe disclosed herein comprises an inclined frame lposis and'a' transverse interconnecting frame member 13. The inclinedframe members l0and the vertical posts l2may be and preferably areadjustable so that the inclination of the inclined frame 10 may beadjusted. 7

The inclined frame members 10 and the transverse interconnecting" framemember 13 directly support a D plurality of trackway sections 14 whichare positioned in end to end arrangement to form a continuous .trackway.in which a golf club guide member 15 is m'ovably engaged. Enlargeddetails of the trackway sections' l4jr nay be seen in FIGS. 2, 3and 4'ofthe drawings-and by referring'thereto it will be seen that the trackwaysections 14 are preferably formed of slotted tubing, theslot thereinbeing longitudinal and defined by inturned flanges 16. The golf clubswing guide member 15 has a transverse axle 17 on the end thereofdisposed within the trackway sections 14 with a pair of rollers 18secured thereto. The other end of the golf club guide member 15 has acircular clamp 19 which is adapted to be secured to the shaft of a golfclub 21 By referring again to FIG. 1 of the drawings it will be seenthat the trackway sections 14 attached to the right .half of theinclined frame 10 and the transverse interconnecting frame member 13define somewhat more than half a circle andare shaped tomatch thefollowthrough swing of the golf club 21 after ithas struck a,

golf ball positioned immediately in front of the guide. The actualconfiguration of the trackways 14 is' preferably that of a proper swingby an individual who will use the golf club swing guide for perfectingthe proper swing path. The left hand portion of the trackway sections 14is formed of two sections, 14a and 14b which arejoined to one another attheir upper and lower ends and spaced with respect to one anothertherebetween and both of which sections 14a and 14b are arcuateThesection 1411 defines a trackway for the backswin'g, while the section14b forms a trackway for the'forward or power swing of the golf club 21.Switch means 22 and 23 positioned at the junctions of the trackways 14dand 14b at their upper and lower ends 4) respectively insurethe guidanceof the golf club into the proper trackway forfguiding the golf club inthe.

' proper swing stroke.

By referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, an enlarged detailof the-switchmeans' 22 may be seen and it will be observed that the upper endof thetrackway 14a extends through the area-of a switchplate22a and into anextension'trackway 14, while the upper. end of the i trackway 14bpartially connects with the trackway sec tion 140' and is connectedtherewith by'the proper placement of the switch plate 221;. Solid linerepresentation in a portion of the trackway l4d at the junction :of thesection 14c indicates the normal position of the switch plate 22a as itis urged to such position by a spring 24' positioned about a pivot 25 inthe switch means 22. Broken line illustrationsof the switch plate 22ashow it in depressed or lower position as occurs 1 when thegolf clubguide moves upwardly as indicated tioned on a U-shaped .base 11, the.upper ends of the v inclined frame 10 being supported on vertical posts12 by the arrow in thetrackway 14a and moves the switch plate 22ato-oneside. When the golf club guide moves into the trackway section-14c the switch plate 22a returns to the position shown in solid lines sothat when the -forward or power swing stroke starts, it will guide theclub intothetrackway section 14b; v I

By referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawings the switch means 23 will beseen to connect thelower endof the trackway section with the lower endof the trackway section l 4b and the continuing half circular trackway14. The switch means 23 includes a pivot 26 mounting a switch section26a which conforms .withthe trackway 14, 14a and 14b and which isarranged to be 1 positioned as shown in solid lines in FIG. 6 so that itis normally positioned between the trackway-section 14b and the:trackwaysection 14 and thus provides an unbrokenguide path for the golf clubmoving downwardly as'shown by the arrow the section 14b as occurs on theforward or power swing stroke, which stroke must continue uninteruptedlyinto the section 14 on the right half of the golf club swingguidewhic hdefines the follow-through stroke and pattern}. v v

Those skilled in the art will observe that the actual. circular orcurving pattern of the several trackway sections 14 canvbe shaped tomatch the proper swing pat- Y tern of an individual by photographing theindividual in stop motion photography to provide a pictorial indicationof the correct. golf swing path which can then by used in shaping thetrackway sections 14.

Those skilled in the art will observe that modifications in thestructure hereinbefore described may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention it will be engaged and moved by the slide piece31 into the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 10 when the beendisclosed which is preferably shaped to match the a perfect swing'pattemof a golfer and that by practicing and by .referring'to FIGS. 7-10 ofthe drawings one v such modification may be seen. In FIG. 7 a supportingframe 28 is illustrated as formed of tubing with a continuouslyextending rod-like guide 'member 29 spaced therefrom and defining thegolf club swing guide-by means of a plurality of support arms 30. AC-shaped guide 31 slidably engages the rod 29 and is secured by way ofasecondary arm 32to a tubular clamp 33 which is secured to a golf clubshaft They-guide 29 would be shaped'in the same manner asthe-trackway 1l4 heretofore referred to' and illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.- 1By referring now to FIG. 8 of the drawings a planned view of a portionof the guide rod 29 may be seen spaced with relation to the supportingframe 28 and it with such a device, the golfer may perfect his swingpattern so that he will be able to utilize the same considerably moreoften in an actual golf game than has heretofore been .possible. It willfurther be seen that the golf club swing guide, as disclosed herein, maybe simply-and economically formed from relatively few component parts.

Although but two embodiments of the present inven- 'tion'have beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and having thus described myinvention what I claim is:

1. A golf swing practice device comprising anin'clinedfsupportconforming generally to the plane of the golf swing,backswing track means and power swing track means, and extensionsthereof for guiding a golf club through'at least the backswin'g'andpower swing portions respectively of a golf swing, means mounting saidtrack r'neans'onsaid-inclined support, upper and lower-portions of saidbackswing and said power swing track means communicating adjacent theintersections of thebackswing and power swingtrack means and switchmeans at said intersections arranged toselecwill be observed thatmovementof the golf club shaft 34 will be guided therealong.

By referring'now to FIG; 9 of the drawings "a switch mechanismcomparable with the 'switch means. 22" as seen in F IGS. 1 and 5 of thedrawings, and hereinbefore described; may be seen and'it will beobserved that a section 29a, of the :guiderod 29, extends through'theswitch area whilea switch'section 29c is pivoted in the switch by apivot 35. The arrangement-is such that the golf club'shaft 34 withitsslidepiece 31 engaging the rod 29 will move upwardly to the righton thesection 29a of the guiderod and onto the section 29 d,eflecting.

the hinged section 29c which will then be movedlback 'to the positionshown in; solidjlines; by a spring36 around the pivot'35 so tha t on thebeginning of the motion of the golf club to-tlie left and downwardlyin-the forwardfor power swing stroke the guide 31 will followthegsection 29c which is in end ;to endabutm ent with tivelyinterconnect said backswing and said power Swing track means withisaidextensions thereof.

2. The golf swing practice device set forth in claim 1 wherein .saidbackswing .and said power swing track for guiding-engagement with a golfclub.

means each have club guiding meansformed therein- 3. The golf swingpractice device set forth in claim 2 'and including a golf club, a guideof T-shaped configuration provided on said club, and said club, guidingmeans including a slot in each of said track means and of generallyinverted T-shaped configuration to accommodate said guide. c

'4. The golf swing practice device set forth in claim 3 and whereinsaid; guide of IT '-sh apedconfiguration 1 ineludes rollers. j 1

I SQThe golf swing practice deviceset forth in claim 2 the intermediatecontinuing section of the guide rod 29b which leads downwardly tothejsecond or lower switchmechanism'asseen in FIG; 10 of the drawings."

By referring thereto it willbe seen that a switch section 294 is,fpivoted on 'ag i d '37and normally pe t-.

tionedas shown byth'e broken ,lines infFIGQ-IQ by a,

light s ringea'srbund he pivot era-ad manai 'g d that includinga golfclub, a guide ofa split tubular configuration provided "on "said club,and said club guiding means consisting of a rod, saidsplit tubular guidebeing slidably'engaged on said" rod.

.6. .The golf swing practice device set'forth in" claim 1v and includinga 1 golf club each of said 'track' means being a flat arcuate slottedtrack member and said golf clubh'aving a track guide'rnember shaped forengaging said slot in said track members.

permit the sliding engagement of

1. A golf swing practice device comprising an inclined supportconforming generally to the plane of the golf swing, backswing trackmeans and power swing track means, and extensions thereof for guiding agolf club through at least the backswing and power swing portionsrespectively of a golf swing, means mounting said track means on saidinclined support, upper and lower portions of said backswing and saidpower swing track means communicating adjacent the intersections of thebackswing and power swing track means and switch means at saidintersections arranged to selectively interconnect said backswing andsaid power swing track means with said extensions thereof.
 2. The golfswing practice device set forth in claim 1 wherein said backswing andsaid power swing track means each have club guiding means formed thereinfor guiding engagement with a golf club.
 3. The golf swing practicedevice set forth in claim 2 and including a golf club, a guide ofT-shaped configuration provided on said club, and said club guidingmeans including a slot in each of said track means and of generallyinverted T-shaped configuration to accommodate said guide.
 4. The golfswing practice device set forth in claim 3 and wherein said guide ofT-shaped configuration includes rollers.
 5. The golf swing practicedevice set forth in claim 2 including a golf club, a guide of a splittubular configuration provided on said club, and said club guiding meansconsisting of a rod, said split tubular guide being slidably engaged onsaid rod.
 6. The golf swing practice device set forth in claim 1 andincluding a golf club, each of said track means being a flat arcuateslotted track member and said golf club having a track guide membershaped for engaging said slot in said track members.